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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a dance
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. craft — boats
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to click
  14. track — a song
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. board — a committee
  20. track — a path
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stem — to come from

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com